


Future Vision

by Phrenotobe



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Love Confessions, Post-Canon, Xenophilia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-04
Updated: 2015-07-04
Packaged: 2018-04-05 23:25:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4199022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phrenotobe/pseuds/Phrenotobe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Say'ri brings her confession to Tiki - that she is wanted and needed, and wants to be needed too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Future Vision

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to my beta reader, and to others still making works for Say'ri/Tiki.

A warm evening at the end of summer finds Tiki in repose in her quarters. Though not sleeping yet, the feel of it pulls at her from somewhere in the back of her mind. It is peaceful, more than ever in Chon’sin as things begin to rebuild, and perhaps she is not so much needed that she couldn’t just give in and take a week off.  
Motion in the room makes her startle awake.  
"Tiki," Say'ri starts, haltingly as she goes, quiet enough as she entered but now with heavier steps, "For a long time we have known one another, and further still matters have come to a pass." A nervous breath in along with that thoroughly diplomatic opener, and Tiki's long ears twitch and tip back in a wary slant.  
"Yes," Tiki says, aware of her moods. It isn't difficult to work out when Say'ri is concerned, not if you have spent a campaign watching a friend to ensure their safety. It is strange to be this comfortable in company, and Tiki rises from her place to stand.  
"You kissed me," Say'ri says, by way of explaining, though in all honesty it was a mutual happenstance, and not the first so long ago. Her fingers tangle together, anxiously, before she pulls them back to rest purposefully on her hips.  
"We kissed," Tiki says, wishing for a moment that her flutelike voice wasn't quite so high, that she could command the same sort of husky, stern tones that Say'ri has. Tiki feels there is more to add, and so she says it- "I had liked that."

"I know - by which I mean I hoped it so,” Say’ri stutters, “-Oh, fie upon my foolish thought!"  
Say'ri kneels abruptly to get a little closer to Tiki in height. It is then that Tiki is the taller, by half a head.  
"What is this..." Tiki says, as Say'ri urgently grasps for her gloved hands to hold them.  
"Stars," Say'ri begins, "You say we are all stars and I wish only to - Although, no, my lady - Tiki, - I mean to say Tiki-"  
Tiki pulls a hand from Say'ri's grasp to place it on her shoulder.  
"You do keep saying my name," she says, giving Say'ri a fond one-handed squeeze, "What is it?"  
Say'ri's eyes widen, perceptibly, darting to one side as she tries to remember the right words.  
"I have been thinking, long ere I came to you. We are not so different," she says, both hands still wrapped around the one of Tiki's that is still held captive, "Though we hold apart there is so much of us that would match. We could be... the same."  
Tiki sighs, smoothing away the long hairs from Say'ri's face, brushing her gloved thumb over the angle of Say'ri's noble cheek, the soft hollow under her cheekbone.  
"We are not the same," Tiki tries to explain, as Say'ri charges in with another phrase.  
"You are just as worthy as I - and I as you!" she says, staccato. Tiki puts her fingers to Say'ri's mouth to silence her, even as Say'ri takes another heaving breath in. Tiki glances aside.  
"Look," she whispers, fingers slipping under the angle of Say'ri's jaw to lift it, and look her in the eyes, "You can't."  
Say'ri stays quiet as Tiki does this, breathing slowly, evenly under her touch. Tiki nods, holding her a moment longer in one hand before she pulls that hand away.  
"I do not accept it," Say'ri breathes, her head still at that particular angle, "I will not."  
"I cannot accept somebody so stubborn to ignore my denial," Tiki says primly, pulling her other hand free. She turns to leave, only for Say'ri's long fingers to catch her glove.  
"As you wish, deny my poor and rude confession!" Say'ri exclaims, "But you feel this too."

As if reeled back on a string, Tiki turns.  
“And if I do?” she asks. Of course she does. And though it is sense to remove herself from hurt, Tiki knows it is not the answer - not if she wishes to keep the future that Say’ri’s people say she can foretell. Honestly, rain cycles are easy to predict. And yet.  
“If you feel as I feel,” Say’ri says, and her voice creaks higher as she talks, still on her knees, and ridiculous, “If I could know as you know. I would be-”  
“Lonely,” Tiki finishes.  
Say’ri shudders a breath at the blow.  
“I know of it,” she says, a sad slope coming to her shoulders. Her hands fall away, to land palm-down on the ground, curling into fists as they pull back on to her knees. “Perhaps more freshly. It does not matter to me. Fie to it. I know trust in my heart now.”  
“I didn’t mean to bring it up,” Tiki says, “I just wanted to-”  
“To affirm my poor choice as what it is, aye. I am aware.”  
Say’ri’s dark eyes glisten, but as her eyebrows come together she blinks the moisture away.  
“I will not push against a denial if you wish only to keep things as they are,” she says, softly, “To not get caught up in human affairs to your detriment. I will understand.”

Tiki wrings her hands, chuffing a noise even as she dips, taking her seat on the floor as close as she can manage. Thus seated, Tiki regards Say'ri warily, pupils narrowed to slits as her throat slips a short, anxious breath. With exquisite care she pulls open the fastenings on her gloves, rolling the golden button through and pulling the left glove off with her right. It is clear then, that Tiki's hands are not human hands. 

Though the backs of them look like flesh, her fingers are ended with long, curved claws. Each digit has scales both wide and thick covering the upper angle, and a greenish tint that suffuses the skin right back to the knuckle, more akin to a predatory bird than a human being. Tiki extends her hand, places it on Say'ri's flat chest, and lets the pointed tips of her claws tickle the dip between the bones at the base of Say'ri's neck. Say'ri's throat bobs as she swallows, visible as she keeps her eyes locked on to Tiki.  
“I understand,” Say’ri repeats, the affirmation clunky on each syllable.  
"You're scared," Tiki states flatly, "I'm sorry." 

Say'ri's hands treat Tiki's glove tenderly, manipulating the button of it open without looking down. One hand slips between the sharp edges of her claws, nestling at the textured shark-skin dips of Tiki's knuckles to raise and hold her hand.  
"Please," Say'ri wrings from her throat, as those claws on Tiki's other hand press lightly, flexing against Say'ri's tender skin, “If you think I am yet weak to the face of your otherworldly nature, our friendship is a weaker thing than I ever thought.”  
“Friendship?” Tiki says, “Do you speak of love then, or of honorable friendship?” 

Say’ri falls into momentary silence at Tiki’s words, tipping up her chin. Though her eyes waver, she manages at last to hold their gaze.  
“Of friendship, turned to honorable love, and a friendship lasting within,” she says at last, “Touch my throat as you design. My only fear is loss, not of death.”  
"You have your country and kin to think about," Tiki says. It is only practical to remind Say’ri of higher concerns.  
"I have," Say'ri says, "This is my solution."  
Say'ri pushes down on Tiki's hand, to press their palm to her own chest. Tiki's claws rake a set of twinned scratches upon Say'ri's skin, rising with beads of blood.  
"Marry me," Say'ri blurts, "Take my accolades for your own. Other romances have stood on less!"

Tiki shivers, despite the warmth of the day.  
“Don’t make me hurt you,” she says, faint horror peeling away any vestiges of sleepy distance between her speech and true thoughts.  
"I know you well enough," Say'ri says, her voice level and quiet, "Can you feel my heart? Or can you only hear it?"  
Say'ri takes Tiki's hand from her neck, rubbing her thumb over those heavy scales, and turns Tiki's hand over to run a fingertip along the dip of her palm. Tiki's fingers curl up reflexively, and she stares at Say’ri’s hands as though seeing them for the first time.  
“And if I said yes, would the laws of your land hold our marriage?”  
Say’ri eases, just slightly.  
“There is no law against,” she admits, “Though if there were…”  
“You would overturn it?” 

Say’ri lifts Tiki’s hand further still, to press the smooth, soft back of it against her lips.  
“I am not easily shaken from the paths I choose to tread.”  
Tiki laughs, tickled by Say’ri’s breath.  
"You make this all sound very easy," she whispers, beginning to smile.  
"Nothing is easy," Say'ri says levelly.  
Tiki nods, pulling her hand away only to rest it upon Say’ri’s shoulder. Say’ri shifts forward, hesitating only moments before she pulls Tiki into a kiss. Tiki creaks a happy little sigh, leaning into Say’ri’s firm embrace, revelling in the feel of her lips, strong hands on her hips holding her safe and close. Say’ri holds her reverently, as she has always had reverence, but it is a vital kind, not distant as things once had been. 

“Do you doubt it still?” Say’ri asks, pink-faced with a blush.  
“No,” Tiki replies, “Though you didn’t have to kiss me to make it known.”  
“Aye, but I wanted to,” Say’ri says, blunt and honest, “Grace me with your reply, or I may have to do it once over again.”  
Tiki finally smirks, tugging her closer with arms looped around Say’ri’s neck.  
“I accept,” she says, “To pester you in your darkest moments, until you meet the stars.”  
“At your side,” Say’ri affirms, “As I always want to be.”


End file.
